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21— CAPERNAUM—a city exalted unto heaven by His residence and miracles, but cast down to Hades (i. e., “the grave”—ruin) because of her rejection of Him. ON THE SABBATH DAY INTO THE SYNAGOGUE—i.e., the place of Sabbath worship. Note that though He was His Father’s well beloved Son, He did not neglect His Father’s House, but made a regular practice of going to it. A great example for us all. TAUGHT—It was the custom to ask any distinguished stranger (especially if He was supposed to be a Rabbi) to preach. 22— AMAZED AT HIS TEACHING—“Never man spake like this man.” Whence did He get the wisdom? HAVING AUTHORITY . . . SCRIBES—Theirs was all second hand, “it has been said”—His was “/ say unto you.” Their teaching dealt with a thousand petty ritual minutiae; His with great and holy principles. Theirs was the letter that killeth; His, the spirit that giveth life. 23, etc.—This is not the first miracle of Christ, but the first one recorded by St. Mark. What is a miracle? Is if “contrary to Law” and therefore unbelievable? Do we know all the Laws of nature? And cannot the Almighty do anything that can be done? A thing may be supernatural, yet not contrary to nature. The purposes of Christ’s miracles were threefold: (1) To attract the attention of men; (2) to prove His Divinity and the truth of His claims; (3) to teach spiritual truths, for all the miracles are acted parables, and every ill cured is the type of some spiritual disease and its result. IN AN UNCLEAN SPIRIT—This man is a picture of the bondage of evil and its power over men. Note that he was in the unclean spirit, i. e., enveloped and swallowed up in it. The Holy Spirit “clothed Himself” with Gideon that He might energize him; the evil spirit clothes the man that he may coerce and destroy him. IN THE SYNAGOGUE—outwardly a worshiper of God, in wardly a slave of the Devil—very possible and, alas, true of too many men today. 24— WHAT HAVE WE TO DO WITH THEE?—It is the evil spirit who is speaking for himself and for the man (the really devil-ridden has not even the control of his tongue). The actual words are, “What is there to us and to thee?” i. e., “What have we in common?” Truly nothing! ART THOU COME, etc.—man believes not, angels believe and adore, the devils “believe and tremble”—to what depth of degeneration and folly has man fallen! I KNOW THEE—not “we” this time; the man did not know Him, but the demon did. If we will not receive His own testimony, shall we not receive that of the fallen spirits? There is the testimony of heaven and hell; only earth’s testimony is withheld or refused. 25—REBUKED ............. BE MUZZLED—Quite incompat ible with the trouble being epilepsy or any disease; the words point to a living personality. Note, Christ rejects the testimony that is offered in flattery or fear. COME OUT OF HIM—No earthly power could expel the demon, and none can save us from the bondage of evil—only Divine power can deliver. HAV ING CONVULSED . . . CRIED OUT—How loath the Devil is to surrender his prey! If compelled to do so, he would fain injure ere he leaves. He will fail, however, as the demon did here (cf. Luke 4:35) if we put the case into Christ’s hands. 27—Notice the development: before, they were merely astonished at the teaching; they are now led to inquire concern ing it, because the power of the word is backed up by the power of the deed. Mere doctrine will never attract the bulk of men; we must show them results. 29—THE HOUSE OF SIMON AND ANDREW—Note, they had not sold their house. The forsaking of all things was complete in purpose; its final consummation was to be as circum stances demanded.
The First Glad Faster VYiorn B y R ev . J. M. P amment From the furnished upper room, To the garden and the tomb; Thence to Olivet, away, On this first glad Easter day. Follow Mary where she went, And survey this great event; In which heaven and earth rejoice, With one heart and soul and voice. There we’ll meet the angel band, And with Mary understand How the angel of the Lord, Spoke to her the wondrous word. Why seek the living ’midst the dead And look for Christ, our living head, Where symbols of the grave prevail, That speak of death, sin’s dark entail ? He is not here, but risen is He, The Lord of life, in whom we see The Father’s well beloved Son, Who finished what He here begun When down to earth from heaven He came, And, born in humble Bethlehem, He undertook to bear our sin, And win us back to God and heaven. To prove this true, the angel said, “Come see the place He laid His head” ; But now no more you see Him there, Where death’s damp odor fills the air. But let us haste to Galilee, And with His brethren wait and see What there He promised ere He died, On Calvary’s Cross, as crucified, He paid the price for sin and shame, And for our ransom met the claim Of His own just and holy law, Which Eden and our parents saw Was broken when they set aside The will of God, and thus defied His law of love, and truth and right, And lost for us both life and light.
30—PETER’S MOTHER-IN-LAW—Then Peter was mar ried and continued to be so (cf. 1 Cor. 9:5); indeed, it seems as though the other apostles were also married: celibacy there fore has no support from their practice, and is contrary to the Divine declaration that “it is not good for man to be alone.” SICK OF A FEVER—We learn from the Greek of St. Luke that the fever was chronic, that it was a “great fever,” and from St. Matthew that she was utterly prostrated by it. This fever was typical of the way in which sin burns up the strength and disenables a man from accomplishing the real purpose of his life. TOLD HIM CONCERNING HER—So should Christ’s
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